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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. net — for catching
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. shower — to wash
  8. lie — to recline
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. mark — a grade
  15. net — after costs
  16. wax — to grow
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mark — a trace
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. shower — rain
  21. net — in sport
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. wave — a sudden rise

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com